In recent years, thin and light-weight liquid crystal display devices have been utilized as display devices for use in the displays of personal computers and the display sections of mobile information terminal devices. However, conventional twisted nematic type (TN type) and super twisted nematic type (STN type) liquid crystal display devices have the disadvantage of narrow viewing angles. Various technological developments have been made in order to overcome these disadvantages.
As a technique for improving viewing angle characteristics, the CPA (Continuous Pinwheel Alignment) method has been proposed (see Patent Document 1, for example). In the CPA method, an opening and/or a recess portion is provided in one of a pair of electrodes which oppose each other via a vertical-alignment type liquid crystal layer, and liquid crystal molecules are placed in a radially-inclined orientation by utilizing an oblique electric field which is generated at an edge of such an opening or recess portion, thus realizing a high quality display with a wide viewing angle.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-43525